'Shanty town' fear over planning permission breach

A man whose garden is overshadowed by houses built in breach of planning rules has said the town could become a "shanty town" if the council does not take action.

Developer Infinity Shore was told by Slough Borough Council to submit a new application after building right up to the border of neighbours' gardens.

One neighbour, Usman Malik, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) people in Slough would think it was "a free for all" if the council did not refuse planning permission.

Infinity Shore and Slough Borough Council have been approached for comment.

The council granted planning permission for a row of three houses at 20 Mallard Drive in Cippenham in January 2024.

The approved plans left a metre of space between the houses and the back gardens of four houses on Bower Way.

However, Infinity Shore instead built the houses right up to the boundary, and also altered the internal layout.

The developer submitted an application to amend the approved plans in January.

But council planning officers said the houses were so different to what had been approved that they needed a new application for retrospective planning permission.

Mr Malik said he had objected to the original planning application because he was worried the houses would overlook his garden - something he said was even worse because the houses were built right up to the boundary.

Councils have to assess retrospective plans on the same basis as any other application for planning permission.

But Mr Malik said approving the application risked setting a "precedent".

"You can build what you like, where you like and turn the place into a shanty town," he said.

"We've got to follow the rules and regulations to make sure the town looks good."

If the plans were rejected the developer would have to either demolish the houses or alter them to meet the approved plans.

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